Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This cookware is amazing. This is a truly well crafted stainless steel set. The pasta insert works great but the thing I love more is the steamer insert. The steamer insert paired with the solid lit make the best steamed vegetables. I am really impressed. The clean up is a snap too. Make sure to clean with non-abrasive surfaces, such as the soft side of the sponge, not the rough side(usually green SOS material). Cloth also works well. In addition I noticed a reviewer say that it scratches easily. The only way I can see this scratching easily is if the pot was cleaned with abrasive material (rough scrubbing), metal utensils (always use soft plastics and wood!!!) or harsh cleaners. These are basic rules for any stainless steel set. This pot works great for stews and soup stocks. The pasta insert is nice, but cooking pasta is pretty fool proof. I bought this set for about $80 and it is money very well spent. I am very happy with my purchase. I fully recommend this set to anyone that wants to steam vegetables, tamales, meats etc. We eat a lot of pasta in our house so being able to cook the pasta while the vegetables steam up top is a huge perk. Also, I had the option of going with a pot set or a plastic electric steamer, but be aware that almost all plastic steamers have BPA. I have a toddler I could not go that route. I have had experiences in the past with electric steamers (plastic) leaving food taking weird, almost plasticy. With this pot (and any stainless steel set) you will not have to worry about strange plastics and strange tastes. Buy this set, you will love it. I've included cooking times for people that are not familiar with steaming. Stick to these times and you won't fail. You will notice that there is a variant in time (example 6-10 min). Shorter cooking times produce crispier vegetables and slower and longer cooking times product softer vegetables. Make sure not to over cook though. Remember, the point of a steamer is to cook the vegetables without losing precious nutrients. Vegetable, Size/Preparation, Time in minutes Artichokes, Steam whole artichokes, 25-40 min Asparagus, Whole spears, thick spears peeled lightly, 7-13 min Asparagus, Cut into 2-inch pieces, 4-7 min Beans, green, Whole beans, 6-10 min Beans, wax, Whole beans, 6-10 min Beets, small or medium-sized, Whole, unpeeled beets scrubbed clean; peel off the skins after steaming, 35-50 min Beet greens, Cleaned and coarsely chopped, 7-9 min Broccoli, Trimmed stalks, 8-12 min Broccoli, Trimmed stalks split in half or florets, 5-7 min Brussels sprouts, Whole, trimmed, 8-15 min Brussels sprouts, Trimmed and halved, 6-8 min Cabbage, Cut in wedges, 6-10 min Carrots, Cut into ¼-inch thick slices, 7-10 min Carrots, baby, Whole baby carrots, 10-12 min Cauliflower, Florets, 5-10 min Celery root(celeriac), Cut into ¼-inch thick matchsticks, 5-7 min Celery stalks, Cut into ½-inch thick slices, 4-9 min Corn on the cob, Whole, husks removed, 7-10 min Daikon, radishes, Peeled and cut into chunks 8-12 min Chicory (endives), Cut in half lengthwise, 5-10 min Fennel bulbs, Cut crosswise into ½-inch slices, 8-10 min Jerusalem artichokes(sunchokes), Peeled or scrubbed; sliced, 5-8 min Jerusalem artichokes(sunchokes), Whole tubers, peeled or scrubbed, 20-25 min Kale, Trimmed, 4-7 min Kohlrabi, Peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes, 5-8 min Leeks, Trimmed, cut in half, 5-8 min Okra, Fresh whole okra, trimmed, 6-8 min Onions, pearl, Whole onions, peeled, 8-12 min Parsnips, Peeled and cut into ½-inch slices, 7-10 min Peas, green, Fresh, shelled peas, 2-4 min Peas, sugar snap, Whole pea pods, trimmed, 5-6 min Potatoes, all, Peeled or scrubbed clean, cut into ½-inch slices, 8-12 min Potatoes, new, Whole, scrubbed clean, 15-20 min Radishes, Whole radishes, trimmed, 7-14 min Scallions, Cut into ½-inch slices, 3-5 min Spinach, Cleaned, whole leaves, 3-5 min Squash, butternut, Peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, 7-10 min Turnips, Cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 8-12 min Turnip greens, Cleaned and coarsely chopped, 4-6 min Sweet potatoes, Cut into large chunks, 8-12 min Swiss chard, Coarsely chopped leaves, 3-5 min Zucchini, Cut into 1-inch slices, 5-8 min Sorry it's kind of messy but you should be able to read through it. Take care.